Natural Resources
This term refers to materials from Earth that people use, such as water, minerals, soil, and forests
Renewable resources
This energy comes from the sun and can be captured with panels.
Solar energy
Petroleum, oil, and coal are examples of this kind of resource.
Nonrenewable resources
Water stored in glaciers, ice sheets, and ice shelves is considered what type of water?
Freshwater
The three R’s used to help conserve materials: reduce, reuse, and ____.
Recycle.
Tiny Ocean organisms that produce oxygen and form the base of many marine food chains
Phytoplankton
Energy produced by moving air that turns turbines.
Wind energy
The raw, unrefined liquid extracted from underground that is later processed at a refinery is called ____.
Crude oil (or petroleum)
This is the frozen floating sea ice that forms from seawater and often expands and shrinks with seasons.
Sea ice.
Name one method people can use to conserve soil (prevent erosion) on farmland or slopes.
contour plowing, planting cover crops, adding vegetation
A naturally occurring solid material from which a metal or valuable mineral can be extracted; often found in veins
Ore
Bonus: Give two examples of a mineral (50pts)
Name one advantage and one disadvantage of wind energy
Advantage: renewable, no direct greenhouse gas emissions; Disadvantage: intermittent (depends on wind), can affect birds or noise/visual concerns.
Natural gas is often used for heating and cooking. Name one safety or environmental risk of using natural gas.
Risks: leaks and explosions, greenhouse gas emissions when burned, methane leaks contributing to climate change
Explain the difference between an ice shelf and a glacier.
Glacier: a large body of dense ice moving slowly over land; Ice shelf: a floating extension of a glacier that sits on the ocean.
Give two examples of how conserving water at home can help protect freshwater resources.
Examples: fix leaks and use low-flow fixtures, collect rainwater for gardens, take shorter showers, run full loads of laundry/dishes, use drought-tolerant plants for landscaping.
The water found below the surface of the earth.
Groundwater
This type of energy uses heat from beneath Earth's surface and is often found near volcanic areas.
Geothermal energy.
Uranium is used as fuel for this kind of energy that generates lots of electricity with low greenhouse gas emissions but creates radioactive waste.
Nuclear energy
The underground layer of rock or sediment that holds groundwater is called a(n) ____.
Aquifer.
Explain what phytoplankton do for the oceans and why protecting them helps the whole marine ecosystem.
Phytoplankton produce oxygen through photosynthesis and form the base of the marine food web; protecting them supports fish populations and ocean health.
Explain what a reservoir is and give one way humans use reservoirs.
A reservoir is a man-made or natural lake used to store water; humans use reservoirs for drinking water supply, irrigation, hydroelectric power, flood control, or recreation.
Hydroelectric power needs a large body of stored water; name two environmental concerns associated with building large dams
Concerns: habitat loss, displaced communities, changed river flow, impacts on fish; reservoirs can also trap sediment and change downstream ecosystems.
Describe how crude oil becomes useful fuels and products
Steps: crude oil is pumped from wells → transported to a refinery → refined by heating and separating (distillation) into fuels (gasoline, diesel) and petrochemicals → further processing and blending to make finished products.
Describe one way melting glaciers or ice sheet loss can affect sea level and coastal communities.
Melting increases sea level (thermal expansion and added water), causing coastal flooding, erosion, saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies, and increased storm impact on communities.
Describe what an AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) can do to help scientists study and preserve ocean resources; give two uses.
AUV uses: mapping the seafloor, monitoring water quality and temperature, tracking marine life, surveying coral reefs, inspecting under-ice regions, and collecting data for conservation planning.